Perfectly Prepared Pineapple Pie
by Ulyssa123
Summary: Shawn was gone for a long time when he first left Santa Barbara. In that time, he met a mysterious pie maker with an incredible gift. Years later, the two meet again under unfortunate circumstances. Now Shawn has to save his friend, lie to the police, and keep the pie makers secrets from being revealed.
1. Don't Forget To Tip Your Waitress

Summary: Shawn was gone for a long time before he came back to Santa Barbara. In that time he met some exciting people, people who will call upon him for help in the future.

Pushing Daisies, Psych crossover

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. All I own is immense depression over the fact that my two favorite shows have ended and that I will never see a new episode again.

General info for psych: The first few chapters take place after Shawn graduates and leaves Santa Barbara. Im not sure when exactly he leaves, so im guessing its a couple years after he graduates? Im sure it was mentioned in the show but by god its been years since I last watched psych. The rest of the story will take place in season five. Before Juliet and Shawn are dating.

General info for pushing Daisies: This is going to take place at the end of all the episodes, ignoring the last episode. Also, im taking some liberties with Neds powers. Im absolutely keeping it as close to canon as possible because im not about changing shit too much. Still, his powers make like zero sense. So I'll either make up my own mechanics or just explain things away with the all encompassing excuse, _magic. _Also, this wont include any information from the comics as ive sadly never read them. (if anyone's got a good link to them hit me up! haha)

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><p>Perfectly Prepared Pineapple Pie.<p>

Author: Ulyssa

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><p>Ned the pie maker grabbed a thick lump of dough and placed it on the flour covered counter. Reaching for his rolling pin, the pie maker made quick work of the dough, rolling it out expertly so that the entire thing was even. Looking up to make sure that Olive was out of the kitchen and focused on helping the last of the nightly customers, the pie maker reached for an overripe and slightly moldy pineapple.<p>

As soon as he touched it, the pineapple sprung to life, the mold disappearing.

Chopping the fruit up quickly, Ned placed the diced pineapple into the pie, where he could never touch it again. Placing the Pie in the oven, Ned looked up at the clock on the wall. It was eight thirty and nearly time to close. Ned wiped his hands on his apron and started to clean up. He grabbed the knifes and bowls he had been using, wiped up the flour scattered about, and picked up the extra bits of pineapple that had been left on the counter, ignoring as the extra pieces wilted and died in his hands. He was throwing away the now dead chunks when Olive wandered into the kitchen, sniffing the air.

"New pie?" She asked leaning against the counter and placing her chin on her hands. She batted her eyes at Ned and watched him fidget with the rag he was using to clean.

"Uh, yeah. Pineapple. Thought I would try it, see what its like." He leaned away from her, when she leaned forward.

"Pineapple?" She scrunched up her nose, thinking.

"How about..." There was a pause as she mouthed words to herself silently. Ned frowned slightly at her, knowing she was coming up with some silly name, and feeling slightly remorseful about it. He didn't like his pies having silly little names, because his pies were not silly little pies.

"Perfectly Prepared Pineapple Pie." She winked at him and leaned away from the counter, without waiting for a response. Ned cleared his throat.

"S-sounds fine." Though he wasn't into giving them names, he never really minded what Olive called them, as long as people came to eat them. Nodding to herself Olive, Glanced out into the lobby,

"Well boss. Everything's been cleaned up and put away, The doors are locked, signs are off, floors are mopped. So if you don't need me I'll be heading up to my apartment." She stretched and popped her back, yawning as she did so. She knew that Ned liked to bake pies in the quiet of his kitchen when all others had wandered off to bed. So with a final goodbye, she wished him good night and left the pie maker to his own devices.

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><p>The next day, Ned found himself once again making Pies in preparation for the day. He twirled pie crust silently and brought fruit back to life cautiously always making sure to keep tabs on Olives whereabouts before touching the fruit in the kitchen. At around one thirty, there was a large rush of customers and delivery requests that had Ned rushing to fulfill orders.<p>

"Busy busy!" Olive rushed into the kitchen, opening the fridge that contained some call in orders and rushed back out to attend customers. Ned watched her go, appreciative of all the running around the restaurant she did. He watched again as she rushed behind the serving counter and grabbed the only Perfectly Prepared Pineapple Pie he had made today and cut a slice. Happy to know that someone had decided to give his newest creation a try, Ned returned all of his attention to his baking. He was so focused on keeping tabs on Olive and making his pies, that when he reached for a shriveled black strawberry, he never noticed the man sitting at the customers counter, watching him silently.

Shawn stared up at the giant pie crust that sat atop the small corner side building.

"Pie hole?" He read aloud, making a face at the name. He looked inside and notice how busy the restaurant looked. Deciding that it looked like a decent establishment, Shawn stepped forward and pulled the door open. Stepping through he ignored the little bell that chimed, announcing his presence and searched for a server. He was surprised to find that the only person working out front was a tiny little blond woman who seemed full of energy. He watched curiously as she hustled over to him.

"Hi! Welcome to The Pie Hole. As in "shut your." Or, in this case, "open your," because it's really good." She smiled brilliantly at him and gestured for him to follow. Shawn did as he was bid and sat down at the counter in the center of the restaurant. Before he could get a word in, the perky waitress shoved a menu in front of him.

"We have every kind of pie you could ever possibly want." She paused. "Well. Not every kind. But we have every really good kind, and that's whats really important. Besides, nobody would ever want bad pie so I guess I was right the first time. We have every pie you could ever want. Coffee? Water? Tea?" She stopped in a rush and stared at Shawn expectantly. Taken aback by the sheer amount of energy this woman possessed, it took Shawn a moment to realize that the end of her tirade had been a question.

"Coffee-" He was cut off once again by her smile.

"Excellent choice. Our rush started about two hours ago and I've already downed eight cups of coffee!" She patted him on the back, "The stuffs good, real good. Our espresso machine just got fixed. The stuffs strong too." She gave him a quick wink. "Its been about two hours since my last cup and I'm still jumpin like a jackrabbit runnin from a pack a wolves! I'll be right back with your coffee hun." The excited waitress ran off towards the back of the kitchen and from his spot at the counter Shawn watched as she twirled around the only other worker in the store. A tall gangly man, who shied away from her presence and seemed to have his thick eyebrows drawn in permanent worry.

Turning away from the odd couple Shawn examined the menu. His eyes instantly zeroed in on one specific entry and he knew exactly what he wanted. Setting the menu down Shawn examined the store around him. He told himself not to take note of every hat in the busy establishment, but in telling himself that, ended up counting each and every single one. Irritated with himself, Shawn reached for the creamer and fiddled with his coffee. The waitress eventually flittered over and asked him what he wanted, her energy still not diminished and Shawn ordered the, Perfectly Prepared Pineapple Pie. She took his order down and rushed off and Shawn was left alone to stir his coffee and stare straight ahead.

He was so lost in thought, that he didn't realize that he had been staring at the nervous pie maker until one of the Strawberries that the pie maker had just picked up, suddenly grew bigger and redder and much much fresher. Shawn's eyes widened in surprise and he jumped up from his seat in alarm and crashed right into the exuberant blond waitress. The exuberant blond waitress who just so happened to be carrying a very large tray full of numerous plates of pie and cups of coffee, soda and water. With a startled shriek the waitress went down in a flurry of limbs and a loud crash.


	2. Knock Knock Are You Still Open?

The entire restaurant went silent as Shawn whipped around and stared down at the waitress in horror.

"Oh my god!" He gasped and crouched down, grabbing her arm delicately. She was covered in pie and various drinks, and there were glass shards laying all around her.

"Ow ow owww!" The waitress hissed in pain and looked up at Shawn, a glare set on her face.

"What in name of all that is good and holy did you do that for!" She all but shrieked at him. Shawn gaped at her, his mouth opening and closing until he was finally able to speak.

"I am so sorry- so so so sorry! I just suddenly saw something and I got-" His explanation was cut off when the pie maker from the back suddenly appeared, crouched down at his fellow workers side. Shawn started at the sight of him, remembering the strawberry.

"Olive!" Ned flitted about her, but, Shawn noticed, he didn't touch her. By now most of the patrons in the store were watching the event unfold and were quietly muttering to themselves. Shawn looked around and then looked back at the pie maker. The pie maker looked even more nervous then he had before, also seeming to notice the attention of the customers.

"Are you okay Olive?" The pie maker asked, finally reaching out and laying a hand on Olives shoulder. Olive looked down at the hand and seemed to positively glow.

"Oh Ned. I'm fine. Aint nothin hurt but my pride." She looked over at Shawn. "Sorry about that hun I-" Shawn cut her off, knowing she was just playing the part of the diligent waitress.

"No way. I am so sorry for knocking you over, here let me help you up." He reached out and grabbed her hand, and elbow, the second he offered himself to help her, Ned The pie maker, removed his own hands. Shawn took note, but focused on helping Olive up. Pulling her to her feet he watched her face crumple in pain as she collapsed into him.

"Well dang." She groused looking down at the ground. Specifically at the ankle she was just now noticing she had sprained. Shawn felt more shame run through him.

"I am so sorry." He amended again.

"L-lets get her into the back." Ned suddenly spoke up, his eyes sweeping the customers that were still whispering and gawking. Noticing the pie makers unease Shawn nodded and followed cautiously. The two entered the kitchen and Shawn couldn't stop himself from glancing over at the bowl of ripe strawberries sitting innocently next to a bowl with one or two rotted strawberries in it. He swallowed nervously, confused about what he had seen and wondering if it had been real. Once again though, he had no time to dwell on the thought as very suddenly, Ned placed a stool down in front of him. Helping Olive sit, Shawn stepped away and glanced back at the bowl of strawberries one last time.

"I'm all right Ned. Really, just a little sprain. Its nothing a little ice wont fix. And I've worked on worse, why, give me a few minutes and I'll be ready to go right back out there." She glanced at her clothing.

"Its my outfit I'm worried about. I look like a right mess." She sighed heavily and looked up at Shawn.

"Uhm. I'm Sorry?" Shawn said it again, this time feeling more awful then the last, finally though his brain seemed to be able to process what had just happened and his mouth started going off before he could stop it.

"Really I am ma'am. I just thought I saw something strange." He glanced over at Ned, once quickly, and then went back to looking at Olive. "I reacted without thinking. I never meant to knock you over. If there is anything I can do to help then-" Not one to be out talked, Olive chimed in.

"Oh nonsense! It's my job to help customers, I've dodged a lot more sudden movements in the past. Its my fault for not watching more clearly." She sighed and made a move to stand up. Both Shawn and Ned rushed forward to stop her.

"Olive! No. I cant have you working with a twisted ankle. You need to go home and get some rest. I can manage the store by myself." Ned clasped his hands behind his back and looked down at Olive, his eyebrows turned down in worry. Olive looked at him skeptically.

"You? Take care of the customers?" She let out a little laugh.

"No offense Ned, but you're not exactly the most friendly person." She started staring up at him. He seemed shrink in on himself, but still managed to look indignant.

"I-I can be friendly!"

"I can help." Shawn suddenly blurted. He felt bad for knocking Olive over, but he was also incredibly curious about what he had seen Ned do with the strawberries earlier. Ned and Olive both stared at him. Ned looking nervous, and seriously did this guy have any other emotions? Olive laughed quietly.

"You? Help? What makes you think you can just walk out there and work without any training?" Olive questioned.

"I cant just...hire someone right off the street." Ned mumbled watching Shawn with worry. Shawn squared his shoulders.

"I can do it. I've been traveling the country for a while know and I've worked at a candy shop, a traveling coffee truck, a Whiner-mobile and," He paused and looked between the two of them, "An El Pollo Loco. I know how food service works and I've already memorized the entire menu! I know every single word on there. If you really don't trust me, You can just sit there and watch me and tell me where things are!" Shawn exclaimed stepping back and looking between the two people. Ned and Olive exchanged glances.

"How can you have the entire menu memorized. You've only been in here for about twenty minutes." Olive asked. Shawn smiled at her.

"I've got an eidetic memory! A photographic memory." He explained further, noting the twos confused gazes. They both made little ohhing noises, but Ned remained unconvinced.

"I don't know. I can't let just anyone handle peoples food and-" Shawn cut him off and reached into his back pocket so he could show them his food handlers card,

"That's the great thing! Im not _just _anyone. I have a food handlers card and everything. I told you, I worked at EL Pollo loco. And let me tell you. That place was truly loco. And, this is what hiring people is all about! Everyone is just some random stranger from off the street. At least until you hire them! Soo what do you say? Surely you don't want to go out there and deal with a bunch of hungry, grumpy people who have been waiting on their pie for a really long time. Do you?" He looked at Ned with raised eyebrows."

"Well. No. But-"

"And surely you wouldn't have Ms. Olive here go back out there on a sprained possibly _broken_ ankle. Would you?" Shawn interjected

"Broken?" Olive said indignantly. Her foot was most certainly not broken. Shawn ignored her.

"No but-" Ned was cut off again.

"Then let me go out there, sling some coffee, clean up some messes, and toss around some pie! It will be fine. I've done this kind of stuff before. Besides between you and me, I need another job. Like I said, I've been traveling the country and I'm pretty much out of money." Shawn made a fartty noise with his mouth.

"Kaput. Completely out of cash. Its not like I'm just some weird good samaristan off of the street! I was really looking for a job as well! I figure its a little unconventional, but why cant this be a job interview!?" Shawn paused and waited, watching the pie makers face. He smiled to himself, when he saw Ned's face relax slightly in acceptance.

"All right fine. Aprons are over there. Wash your hands and ask Olive if you need anything." Ned sighed and wandered over to a fridge in the corner of the room. Shawn watched him carefully, but the only thing that the pie maker pulled from the fridge was a bowl of ripe, fresh mangoes.

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><p>It had been two weeks since Shawn had come to the pie hole and had knocked poor Olive Snook over. And in that time Ned had noticed that the strange man seemed very keen on learning the way of pie making. Ned always found himself standing in the kitchen rolling out dough in peace and quiet only to have Shawn suddenly spring up out of nowhere and watch him with rapt attention. It was a little unnerving, but Ned attempted to shrug it off, feeling that he shouldn't turn away a fellow pie enthusiast. Then again, he had an odd feeling that Shawn's attention went deeper than simple pie making.<p>

"So. You really like making pies huh?" Shawn asked one day staring down at the bowl of fresh blueberries like the fruit was going to jump up and attack him. Ned nodded.

"Yeah. Reminds me of home." Ned offered, covering a pie with a thin crust and moving it to the oven. Shawn nodded at him.

"Ah. I try not to do things that remind me of home." Shawn supplied watching Ned adjust the timer on the oven. Ned turned back to look at him.

"Is that why you've been traveling?" The pie maker asked, wiping his hands on his apron. Shawn smiled.

"Yuparoonie!" Shawn turned his head when he heard the bell ding in the front. He looked at Ned and then shrugged before heading out to serve the newest customers. While he was gone, Ned reached under the counter and pulled out a bowl of rotting blueberries. Bringing them all back to live quickly he proceeded to make pie with them.

The pie maker considered the enigma that was Shawn Spencer. The man was absolutely obsessed with the pineapple pie that Ned had created not too long ago, and he talked more then anyone Ned had ever met. Not only that, but Shawn seemed to notice everything. Ned frowned as he thought about that particular trait. He had brought it up with Shawn once and all he had gotten was an aloof wave of the hand and a dismissive,

"That's all my dads fault." Ned understood the reluctance to talk about father figures, but still. It was uncanny.

Line Break

Four weeks later and Shawn still hadn't found a reasonable explanation for what he had seen Ned the pie maker do with the strawberry on the first day in the pie Hole. Four weeks and Shawn was starting to grow very attached to Ned the pie maker and Olive Snook the Waitress. The two people were quirky and odd, but Shawn felt like he could make a real friendship with the strange people. It was making him slightly antsy, and he knew if he didn't solve this fresh fruit phenomenon soon, then he would just have to leave without ever knowing the answer. It was close to closing and Shawn found himself, once again mingling about in the kitchen, watching as Ned baked pies.

"Do you want a slice?" Ned asked, offering Shawn a piece of Perfectly Prepared Pineapple pie. Shawn took the offered slice and after searching around for a fork, dug in. As he chewed silently he watched Ned make pies. Thoughts of strawberries dancing through his mind.

"Hey Ned." Shawn asked through a mouth full of pineapple deliciousness. Ned made a humming noise, focused on his own pie making. "How come you never eat your own pies?" Shawn asked, swallowing his food. Ned shrugged a shoulder, but Shawn could see it, there was something being concealed in Ned's face. A lie that Ned didn't want being brought to life. Shawn wondered if it had anything to the suddenly ripe strawberry he had seen nearly a month ago.

"I-I just don't really want too. I'm around pie all the time. I cant really eat it every day." Ned commented. Shawn picked up on the stutter that had gone away about a week after getting to know the nervous pie maker.

"Yeah, but you like, never eat your own pies." Shawn pushed. Ned shrugged again, this time turning to face Shawn.

"Why do you always eat pineapple?" Ned asked. Shawn watched as the pie maker clasped his hands behind his back and stared straight ahead at Shawn. Shawn frowned, he knew Ned had officially closed up. Shawn smiled at the thought though, since people only tended to close up when they had something to hide.

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><p>Ned sat at one of the booths, Shawn sitting across from him. The day had been painfully slow and Shawn had agreed to take Olives shift, so both Shawn and Ned had been stuck in an empty store all day with nothing to do but chit chat. As Olive always put it. Shawn munched on a slice of Perfectly Prepared Pineapple pie and sipped at coffee, while Ned, similarly drank his own cup of coffee. The pie maker watched as Shawn examined the pie in front of him. Shawn had a strange obsession with pineapple that the pie maker couldn't quiet figure out. In the five weeks that he had suddenly appeared, pineapple pie was the only flavor that he ate. The pie maker watched Shawn silently. Shawn usually filled the silences with question after question, story after story, but today he seemed quiet and it was slightly unnerving. Looking out the window Ned noticed Shawn's bike parked in front of the pie Hole. He knew very little about motorcycles.<p>

"Why do you drive a motorcycle?" Ned asked. More for a topic of conversation than anything else. In his experience people who owned motorcycles usually loved talking about motorcycles. The pie maker hoped to get Shawn talking about something because there seemed to be something on Shawn's mind, weighing him down. As he predicted, Shawn lit up at the chosen topic of conversation.

"Why?" He asked looking out the window dreamily. "Because a motorcycle is freedom Ned. Its exhilarating! The way you feel with the wind whipping around you, the engine blocking out all sounds. Its so peaceful. No attachments, nothing to worry about, just you and the road and endless possibilities. Endless new things to try and experience. Motorcycles are dangerous and-" Shawn looked over at Ned.

"And?" Ned prompted, taking a sip of his coffee.

"And they look cool Ned! You should totally get one." Shawn laughed and leaned in close to Ned. "Besides, when you have a motorcycle, no one ever asks you to help them move." Shawn laughed and looked back out the window. Ned watched Shawn's face. Shawn was very smart, he was also very observant and there always seemed to be an inquisitive curiosity behind his eyes. Sometimes it was slightly unnerving how quickly Shawn managed to pick up on things.

Though, he was smart, he wasn't the only one able to read other people. And after a month of knowing the man, Ned was able to detect something new in his friends face. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what it was, but Ned worried that the emotion was restlessness. The talk of freedom and the open road had Ned wondering just how long Shawn would stick around. Before he had a chance to ask though, Shawn switched gears and brought up one of his friends from Santa Barbara, someone named Gus.

Ned smiled slightly, content to listen to his friends story.

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><p>Seven weeks later and Shawn was really starting to get desperate. He Ned and Olive had become close friends and the fact that Shawn was attempting to pry into Ned's personal life and find out some secret that the pie maker obviously didn't want exposed was starting to make Shawn feel more that slightly guilty. He cursed himself for staying so long. This was how things always started. They started off fun and light but whenever he stayed in a place for too long they became personal and Shawn couldn't help but feel attached.<p>

Walking through the pie hole doors that night at six pm to begin his shift, Shawn made an important decision. Waving goodbye to Olive as she switched shifts with him, Shawn headed to the back of the kitchen. He was going to have to break the news to Ned. He decided that he was going to leave next week and continue on with his journey to see the county.

Heading to the back kitchen Shawn called out.

"Ned, I have something I need to talk to you about." Shawn froze at the sight the greeted him. He had walked in at just the right moment, just as the moldy brown and oozy apple in Ned's hand changed and reshaped itself into a crisp red ripe fruit.

A look of abject terror froze itself on Ned's face. Shawn couldn't help himself, despite the fact that some strange magic trick he had seen nearly two months ago was happening again, right in front of his eyes, he laughed. He laughed at the irony of making the decision to let something go for the sake of his friendship with a nervous pie maker, only to finally of stumbled upon said secret. Laughter was obviously not the reaction Ned had been expecting. The pie maker dropped the apple as if it had bitten him and folded his hands behind his back, as if that could hide all evidence.

"Shawn!" Ned gasped and looked down at the apple on the ground then back up to Shawn's face. Shawn was slightly panicking. He hand hopped that the incident with the strawberry had simply been some weird fluke. It seemed though, that it had not been. Instead it had been real.

Very real and very magical and very illogical.

Shawn was not one for magic and ghosts and unexplainable incidents. So, he laughed. He laughed at his own confusion and at the fact that he had almost got away without being exposed to something so strange. Calming down slightly, Shawn looked up at Ned's horrified face. The pie maker looked like he was about to vomit, he was literally turning green.

"Dude. I saw you do that to a strawberry like two months ago." Shawn explained, lifting his hands in what he hoped was a placating manner. Ned looked like he wanted to run out the back door, or run to the sink and vomit. Either way, the fear sobered Shawn, he didn't think everything was quiet as funny anymore. He wondered if Ned thought Shawn would do something awful now that he knew the truth. The fear made a pang of hurt shoot through Shawn.

"Seriously Ned. Calm down." Shawn remained in place, hoping that Ned would stop looking so fearful. Finally Ned swallowed thickly.

"I-I can explain. The pie maker started. Shawn wanted to know. He wanted to know more than anything else in the whole world. Well, more than a lot of things in the world. He wanted to know how what Ned did was possible, and yet he was able to clearly see the fear that had wedged itself in between Ned's permanently worried eyebrows. Ned was terrified, more terrified then Shawn could even comprehend because Shawn had never felt such sheer horror. Shawn wasn't sure what had Ned so scared, but then again Shawn didn't have mysterious powers. So, shaking his head, Shawn did the only thing he could think of to make the terrified look on Ned's face go away, he stepped forward and lifted up a hand.

"Don't worry man. I wont tell, hell, I wont even ask." Shawn wanted to take the words back, he wanted to pull them right out of the air and stomp all over them.

He wanted to _know_ damn it.

Even though the desire to solve this mystery was burning like a fire in his chest, he knew he had made the right choice when Ned's shoulders relaxed and those permanently worried eyebrows relaxed ever so slightly. The fear was still there, the worry that Shawn was lying, but Shawn plowed ahead, hoping to ease the mood.

"I came in here to tell you, that I'll be leaving in a week." Shawn announced. Though he felt his mouth making his big announcement his mind was still on that damn apple. That damn apple, which had rolled over to Shawn's shoe. Bending over and picking it up Shawn examined it, and the fear was back in full force on Ned's face.

"Is it because of-" Ned looked at the apple in Shawn's hand, but even as the pie maker said it, he knew it wasn't the case. He could tell, had been able to see for almost a week now that Shawn was getting restless. Shawn shook his head.

"Nah man. Its just time. I gotta go." He tossed the apple to Ned and without thinking, Ned reached out and caught the fruit, which instantly rotted in his hands. Ned's head snapped up to look at Shawn who was staring at the apple with wide eyes. Ned could see the thoughts behind Shawn's eyes racing through his brain. Shawn was no doubt thinking back on every experience he had ever had, every piece of knowledge he had ever acquired in an attempt to explain what he had just seen. Ned knew it was useless though, because no matter how smart Shawn was, there was no explanation for what Ned could do. Ned wondered if Shawn would demand answers now. Instead Shawn reached up and placed a hand on his mouth, running down his face.

"So." He cleared his throat, by god he wanted to ask Ned how he did that. He wanted to ask it so bad, but still the fear on Ned's face was clear as day and Shawn just couldn't bring himself to force Ned to talk. Before either one of the two men could make a move though, there was a sudden loud bang. Both men whipped around towards the source, the front door, and watched as a man in a mask stepped through the shattered glass.


	3. Bang Bang You're Dead

Chapter 3: Bang Bang You're Dead

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><p>They were being robbed. Shawn had just seen Ned's big secret first hand and declared he was going to be leaving. But, before the two of them could discuss anything further some THUG decided to break in five minutes after closing. Shawn felt like an opportunity had been stolen from right underneath him. Maybe Ned would have divulged his secrets, maybe he would of explained the impossible things that Shawn had witnessed. Not now though, now the moment was gone and Shawn knew that once this was all over, Ned would close up, maybe even think of some clever lie to tell Shawn and then Shawn would leave and they would never see each other again. Of course, that was only if they made it out of this situation unharmed. Shawn eyed the man stepping through the shattered glass door, the man held a small pistol in his hand. Shawn was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Ned had been standing off to the side, just out of sight of the burglar. As such, the only thing the masked man saw, was a wide eyed looking Shawn.<p>

"Hands up!" The thief barked suddenly, stumbling into the shop. Glass crunched under the thieves feet and Shawn noticed how the mans hands shook. Shawn raised his hands slowly.

"Easy man. See here, look. Hands are up." Shawn shifted on his feet, he wondered what Ned was doing behind him, but hopped that his friend had enough sense to stay hidden. Maybe think if a plan to save the two of them.

"D-Don't move!" the thief's hands shook more violently and Shawn detected a slight slur in the mans speech. He wondered if the thief was drunk or on drugs. Shawn swallowed, he certainly hopped not. A junkie looking for a fix was not someone to be reasoned with.

"Hey, hey. I'm right here. Its not like I'm about to run and_ hide. _Or anything." Shawn directed the last part at Ned, hoping that the pie maker could detect Shawn's change of tone. Fortunately, Shawn heard some shuffling noise and assumed Ned had headed his advice. The thief didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

"W-w-whatever m-m-an. Get over here and open that register!" The thief gestured towards the cash register with his gun. Shawn complied and walked closer to the thief so that he was out of the kitchen, he didn't walk to the register though. Instead he attempted to reason with the intruder.

"There's nothing in there. We empty out the register and count the money every night just before closing." Shawn explained with a vain hope that the thief would give up and go away.

"Yeah..." The thief nodded his head, "Yeah we did that at the sandwich place I worked in." He grumbled something to himself and brought a shaking hand up to his masked face.

"Why don't you just put the gun away. We can talk about this. No one needs to get in trouble. Its not too late." Shawn lowered his hands slightly, trying to calm the man. The thief shook his head.

"We-we put it all in a safe. On f-fridays, the boss would come and-come and get it. Get the money. A-A weeks. A whole weeks worth." The thief looked around the restaurant and Shawn got the feeling that no amount of talking he did would get through to the thief. It seemed like the man had lost himself in his own thoughts. Shawn took a step forward. Maybe if he got close enough he could disarm the man.

"Yeah. Lots of places haves safes. Robbing restaurants isn't very lucrative. You haven't done anything wrong yet. You wont be in any trouble, no one will come looking for you if you just drop the gun." Shawn took another step forward, and the man glanced up at Shawn.

"Lots of places." the man said. Shawn tilted his head, uncertain. There was an odd tone in the mans voice.

"Lots of places what?" Shawn asked.

"There's a safe somewhere here." The thief continued, once again losing himself in his own thoughts. Shawn saw the mans hand stop shaking and tighten on the gun. He swallowed thickly, knowing that the man had decided on his next course of action. Shawn tried to speak quickly,

"Wait! You-" The feeling of his ribs all being crushed and the loud bang happened at exactly the same time. At least, that's what it felt like. Shawn tumbled to the ground, falling on his back. He stared up at the ceiling, his breath wheezing out of him. He was aware of his arm moving up to feel at the spot on his chest where the bullet had entered, but he couldn't feel his arm move. He felt a strange cold sensation spreading out from the bullet wound and seeping into the rest of his body. The thief staggered over to Shawn's supine form. Shawn looked up at the man, his vision blurring and wavering.

"I don't need you to find a safe." The man explained, lifting up the gun again and aiming it at Shawn's face. Shawn stared, unable to move as the man shot him in the head.

* * *

><p>Ned crouched down under the pie making table in the middle of his kitchen. Well, it probably wasn't called the pie making table, it was probably called an island or some other thing that Ned couldn't quiet remember, but it provide an adequate hiding place for the moment. Ned huffed out a nervous breath. He listening to Shawn talk to the thief. He wondered how his employee could sound so calm and collected. Shawn made it seem like this guy really could walk away with no repercussions. If only he would drop the gun. Ned bit his lip. He had almost explained to Shawn how his ability worked, he had been so close to letting someone else in on the secret.<p>

Ned couldn't tell if the burglar had very good or very bad timing.

Ned pushed the thoughts away, now was no time to be thinking about that. His friend was being held at gun point and Ned had to do something about it. If only there was some kind of weapon he could get a hold of. Ned's eyes settled on a set of knifes tucked away safely under the pie making island. He wanted to smack himself. Of course there were knives. This was his kitchen after all. Reaching forward, Ned grabbed a big butcher knife and held it in his hand. He wasn't sure what Shawn wanted him to do from his hiding place, but should the opportunity present itself, the pie maker was determined to do something. Even if he didn't exactly know what that something was. Ned heard the thief speak again,

"There's a safe here somewhere." The mans voice sounded strange. Like he was drunk. Ned turned his head and looked behind himself. They kept their safe in the back store room, with all the moldy fruit. Which meant that the burglar would no doubt be making his way into the kitchen. Ned devised a plan. He would wait for Shawn to lead the burglar into the back and just as they walked around the island, Ned decided he would spring up and hit the man in the head with the handle of the Knife. It was as good a plan as any and Ned steeled himself, waiting. Only the next sound the pie maker heard was Shawn's panic stricken voice,

"Wait! You-" And then there was a heart stopping bang and a terrible thump and it was all Ned could do to keep himself from jumping up and looking out into his restaurant. Thoughts raced through Ned's mind.

_Maybe he missed, maybe Shawn's still alive, maybe it was a misfire? _

Ned listened carefully, he could hear a watery breathing noise. His hand tightened around his own mouth at the noise. It was Shawn, Shawn was breathing weakly on his floor. Shawn had been shot. Ned gripped the knife tightly in his hnad, his knuckles turning white. All plans for attack had left his mind, his thoughts repeating,

Oh god-_Oh god-oh god! _as Ned listened in horror to the sound of shuffling foot steps.

"I don't need you to find a safe." the man sounded indifferent and then there was another loud bang that had Ned jumping so bad he nearly fell over. Ned squeezed his eyes shut, he felt all the blood rush out of his head and leave nothing but a loud ringing noise. Shawn had just been murdered, right in his shop. Shot twice while Ned had just sat in the kitchen and hid like a coward. Opening his eyes, Ned listened for the sound of Shawn's wheezing breath, but was horror struck to hear nothing but the sound of someone trashing his store. No doubt the thief was searching for the safe. Ned sniffed quietly and waited behind the island. His hands tightened on the knife once more and he waited.

The burglar would not get away with what he had done.

It took a few more minutes of banging around out front before the man finally managed to make his way to the kitchen. Ned shuffled to the far end of the island and hid, waiting for the guy to walk by. The thief was heading straight for the food pantry when Ned got an idea. Just as the man pulled open the door and stepped inside, Ned sprang to his feet and rushed forward. He usually left the pantry open at night while he was cleaning up around him, which was why the normally padlocked door was sitting wide open. Which gave Ned the perfect opportunity to rush forward, slam the door and lock it tightly. As soon as the door shut, the thief started yelling and banging on the door.

"Hey! HEY! Let me out! Whose there! Whose out there!" The man screeched angrily and pounded his fists against the metal door. Ned stepped back, there were no windows in the storage room and the only way out was through the pad locked door. The pie maker knew he needed to call the police, he also knew that Shawn was dead, but still, he couldn't stop himself from spinning on his heel and running out to the lobby. Shawn lay completely still sitting in a pool of his own blood. Ned knelt down next to him, his hands hovering over Shawn's body.

He couldn't even check for a pulse.

"Shawn." Ned noticed the bullet wound near Shawn's heart. He also noticed the bullet wound near the top of Shawn's skull. Ned felt his throat close up, he couldn't breath. Shawn was the first dead person he had seen since his mother had died in front of him that fateful day so long ago. And as Ned knelt in the dark of his restaurant, a cold wind blowing through the shattered front door and Shawn's blood seeping into his pant legs, he felt himself suddenly over come with grief. Ned didn't make friends, he had Olive, and he had Shawn and he had his pies and that was all he had. He stared down at Shawn's blood covered face, ignoring the screams from the man locked in his pantry and Ned the pie maker did something he hadn't done in many many years.

He reached forward and brought a human back to life.


End file.
